“I think it is legitimate that the EU is concerned and I was willing even during my last visit, to show that I understand their concerns,” said Ponta.

“Out of eleven points brought up by Commission President (Jose Manuel) Barroso, we have already – in one week – solved 7 or 8 of them. We will solve the rest and prove that we have got the message from the Commission.”

A referendum on whether to impeach Basescu will go ahead on July 29.

Romania will continue to be excluded from Europe’s Schengen visa-free travel area and Brussels
will release a further report at the end of the year.

Hans von der Brelie, our correspondent in Bucharest says: “While Ponta has confirmed that he will comply with EU requests, President Basescu has compared the situation in Romania with a “coup d’Etat.”